Washington State Merlots Trump Bordeaux in Blind Tasting

Walla Walla, Wash.

Northstar Wines Voted Favorites Over Prestige French Competitors at Miami Taste-Off

Merlots from Washington’s Northstar Winery bested Merlot-based wines from premier Bordeaux producers Châteaux Cheval Blanc, Pavie, Angelus, Trotanoy, and La Conseillante in a blind comparative tasting at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival in Miami on February 21.

Northstar’s 2005 Walla Walla Merlot was voted #1 by the 56 participants in the tasting, held as one of the Festival’s public wine and spirit seminars at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Northstar’s 2005 Columbia Valley Merlot came in a close second. Pomerol’s Château La Conseillante was the highest-ranked Bordeax wine, coming in third. Château Cheval Blanc (#4), Château Pavie (#5), Château Angelus (#6), and Chateau Trotanoy (#7) rounded out the lineup.

“At Northstar, our goal is to make ultra-premium Merlots that will rival the best in the world, including the iconic wines we tasted against in South Beach,” said Northstar Winemaker David Merfeld. “It’s extremely gratifying to see our wines show so favorably, particularly given the strength of the 2005 vintage in Bordeaux, and gives credence to our belief that Washington state is one of the best places in the world to make Merlot.”

All participants tasted each wine blind and were asked to rank their favorites from 1-7. The results were then tabulated with the wines with the lowest number of points ranking the highest. A discussion of the wines and the tasting results was led by moderator Howard Kaplan of Executive Wine Seminars and panelists Thomas Matthews, Executive Editor of the Wine Spectator; Joel Butler, MW and Director of Education for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates; and Merfeld following the tasting.

“This was an extremely fine set of wines, all of which were excellent to outstanding,” said Butler. “Northstar’s showing is even more impressive when you consider the value of these two wines to the others tasted. Importantly, only 20% of the tasters identified either of the two Northstar wines as not Bordeaux, attesting to both the quality and comparable style of Washington Merlot and Right Bank Bordeaux.”

Northstar’s Walla Walla Merlot carries a suggested retail price of $50, while the Columbia Valley Merlot retails at $40. Both wines are available at fine wine shops nationwide. The Bordeauxs tasted against are priced from $210 for Château Trontanoy to $1,200 for Château Cheval Blanc.

Although this was the first time Northstar’s 2005 Merlots had been tasted against the 2005 Bordeauxs, similar blind tastings were held with the 2004 vintage in San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and New York for consumers and trade. In each instance, Northstar came in first place against a variety of premier cru classè level wines from St. Èmilion and Pomerol including Château Pavie, Château L’Evangile, Château La Fleur, Château Bellevue Mondotte, and Château Cheval Blanc.

Since its inaugural 1994 vintage, Walla Walla’s Northstar has produced exceptional, critically acclaimed Merlots from the very best grapes grown in the Walla Walla and Columbia Valleys. Heralded as one of Washington’s leaders in producing high quality Merlot, Northstar has led the renaissance of the varietal in Washington state, acclaimed as the “number one source for good American Merlot” by the New York Times.

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For further information:
Grace Doyle
425-415-3359
grace.doyle@smwe.com